SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM GUIDED BY VOICES

After almost 20 years, assorted lineups, and countless
albums, EPs, singles, triples, stolen bases,
misdemeanor convictions, and broken hearts, Dayton,
OH's fortunate sons are taking leave of your senses.
'Half Smiles Of The Decomposed,' to be released August
24 on Matador Records, will be the final album from
Guided By Voices, one of the most acclaimed
independent rock bands of all time.

"This feels like the last album for Guided By Voices,"
explains Robert Pollard, GBV's lone constant member,
lead singer, and famously prolific songwriter. "I've
always said that when I make a record that I'm totally
satisfied with as befitting a final album, then that
will be it. And this is it."

'Half Smiles Of The Decomposed' is the band's 15th
full-length studio release, following 2003's
'Earthquake Glue' and retrospective box set,
greatest-hits, and DVD releases. Although its tour
later this year will be the band's last, Robert
Pollard will continue writing, recording, and
(possibly) touring as a solo artist. "I love the guys
in the band, but I'm getting too old to be a gang
leader," he explains. "There's a sense of maturity,
and even integrity, I think, in continuing as one's
own self."

------------------------------

* from
http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/ar..._id=1000496110

Guided By Voices To Split At Year's End

Beloved indie rock act Guided By Voices will split at the end of the year,
frontman Robert Pollard announced on stage last night (April 24) at New
York's Bowery Ballroom. The group's final album, "Half Smiles of the
Decomposed," will be released Aug. 24 via Matador. A full announcement is
expected from the label on Monday.

"That's it," Pollard said about an hour through the three-hour set, which
featured a guest appearance by Chavez/Zwan member Matt Sweeney on
"Quicksilver" and a cover of AC/DC's "Whole Lotta Rosie." "You can't be the
Rolling Stones. You've gotta quit while you're relatively handsome."

GBV's 21-year career will "go out in a blaze of fire," Pollard insisted,
adding that the group's final show will be held on New Year's Eve in New
York. "We are the kings of indie rock. When we quit, indie rock will die."

Pollard did not give a specific reason for last night's announcement. In
recent years, he has spent as much time recording with GBV as he has
immersed in solo projects with current and former GBV members, including
guitarist Doug Gillard (Lifeguards), bassist Tim Tobias (Circus Devils) and
guitarist Tobin Sprout (Airport 5).

GBV's touring plans for the rest of the year have yet to be announced beyond
three U.S. shows in June, beginning June 17 in Champaign, Ill.

-- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

Maybe the last of Guided By Voices, but not the end of Robert Pollard (who IS Guided By Voices). I don't think this is too tragic unless you wanted to see them live. Even so, they'll be touring until the end of the year.

Despite my absolute hatred for most of his music, Pollard is the most quotable drunk in indie rock.

"Tell Henry Rollins I'll kick his ass. I'm from Dayton ****ing Ohio."

"Stephen Malkmus? Listen, I ****ing kicked FOOTBALL in high school. What'd he do? Probably played ****in' tennis or something."

Damn. I'm all torn up about this. Even though I think the last truly great GbV album was several years back, they've always been one of my top 5 favorite bands. I guess it is better to end it now rather than sink totally into parody, but it's a bummer anyway. At least Pollard will keep making music, that guy is so prolific it's insane.

Bob has nothing if not integrity.

We should be thankful for all the GBV we have had.

i bought their best of album when it came out. never heard the band before but bought it on a reccomendation of a friend. i quite enjoyed it. fast paced, punchy short songs. good stuff.

pollard was way overdue to go solo

He's had a whole string of solo cds, though. He doesn't seem to have much of an edit button when it comes to that stuff. The other GBV members, except for Tobin Sprout maybe, didn't have much say but they maintained some quality.

Well his Fading Captain stuff is mainly for completists and fanatics. They're pretty hard to find in stores so you usually have to get them from Luna Music. But I agree, Bob does dump some pretty crappy material out there. But the cream of the crop is some amazing stuff.

I read that there were several reasons that Guiding By Voices broke up. Most notably, the fact that even the band members didn't know or care who Guided By Voices were.




The Pollard quotes shall ALWAYS be remembered though.

In some ways I think they were better when Tobin Sprout was part of the band and threw his stuff in from time to time. I've got all their "main" albums and that Bee Thousand/Alien Lanes era just still is tops for me. One of these days I'm gonna buy that 6-Disc and DVD set that came out last year too.

More about my GbV fandom on my blog if anyone cares: http:/spatulaforum.com